The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on all 19 presidential candidates cleared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2027 election to publicly declare their assets and liabilities.
The organisation also urged the candidates to disclose the assets and liabilities of their spouses and, where applicable, their unmarried children below the age of 18.
In addition, SERAP asked the presidential candidates to disclose the legitimate sources of their significant assets and publicly commit to rejecting vote-buying and electoral bribery before and during the election.
The call was contained in an open letter dated August 8, 2026, and signed by SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare.
The organisation urged the candidates to “go beyond the bare legal minimum and voluntarily embrace higher standards of transparency, accountability and integrity in seeking Nigeria’s highest elected office.”
SERAP said candidates seeking the presidency should be prepared to subject their personal financial affairs to reasonable public scrutiny before asking Nigerians for their votes.
The organisation stated: “Candidates asking Nigerians to entrust them with enormous constitutional powers over public finances, natural resources, appointments and security institutions should be willing, before asking for their votes, to demonstrate that their personal financial affairs can withstand reasonable public scrutiny.”
It added: “Nigeria’s democracy belongs to its citizens. Votes must not be bought. Public office must not be treated as private property. Those seeking the highest public office must be willing to meet the highest standards of transparency, accountability and integrity.”
SERAP argued that voluntary pre-election asset disclosure would enable voters to identify potential conflicts of interest and significant sources of wealth, while also creating a baseline for assessing changes in a candidate’s assets if elected.
The organisation said: “Nigerians should not be asked to choose between candidates on the basis of who can spend the most money. They should be able to choose on the basis of policies, competence, integrity, character and their vision for Nigeria.”
It further said the 2027 election provides an opportunity for political leaders to demonstrate that public office is a public trust.
On vote-buying, SERAP expressed concern over the continued use of money, gifts and other inducements to influence voters, arguing that such practices undermine the constitutional principle that sovereignty belongs to the people.
The organisation cited Section 14(2)(a) of the Constitution, which provides that sovereignty belongs to the people of Nigeria, as well as Section 125 of the Electoral Act 2026, which criminalises bribery and related conduct intended to influence electoral outcomes.
SERAP said: “An election in which citizens’ votes are purchased, coerced or otherwise financially induced cannot genuinely reflect the free political will of the Nigerian people.”
It also argued that vote-buying was particularly harmful amid poverty and economic hardship because it exploits the financial vulnerability of voters and risks turning a constitutional political right into a financial transaction.
On asset declarations, SERAP noted that although the Nigerian Constitution does not expressly require presidential candidates to publish their asset declarations before an election, elected public officers are required to declare their assets and liabilities.
It referenced Paragraph 11 of Part I of the Fifth Schedule, which requires public officers to declare their properties, assets and liabilities, including those of unmarried children below 18, and Section 140(1), which requires a President-elect to make the prescribed declaration before assuming office.
The organisation also cited Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, arguing that voters require relevant information to meaningfully scrutinise those seeking public office.
The 19 presidential candidates named by SERAP are President Bola Tinubu (APC), Atiku Abubakar (ADC), Peter Obi (NDC), Senator Sandy Onor (PDP), Omoyele Sowore (AAC), Donald Duke (PRP), Okwori Ada Elizabeth Frederick (NDP), Chukwu Anita Zugwai (YPP), Rufai Adekunle Omoaje (AA), Adenuga Sunday (Boot Party), Memeh Samuel (DLA), Nwanyanwu Daniel Danerechukwu (ZLP), Okereke Sunday Chibuzor (LP), Okereke Iken Esther (NRM), Abbas-Bin Aliyu (ADP), Dikwa Suleiman Mohammed (NNPP), Adebayo Adewole Ebenezer (SDP), Seyi Makinde (APM), and Yusuf Kabiru (APP).
SERAP concluded: “The choice before Nigerians in 2027 should be a choice based on ideas, policies, competence and integrity—not on who can spend the most money or conceal the most wealth.”
